


The gift that keeps on giving

by takumiraine



Series: One shots [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Cacti - Freeform, Genji Shimada is a Little Shit, Gift Giving, M/M, Mild Language, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 08:56:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16059773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takumiraine/pseuds/takumiraine
Summary: Jesse McCree had always been taught to express his love and gratitude towards a person appropriately. His ma had always gotten flowers when he was younger, picked off of the roadside and occasionally out of Mean Ol' Mrs. MacCready's garden, just for being the amazing woman she was.It was just habit, so there should have been no surprise when Hanzo started acquiring little cacti pots during his time at the watchpoint.





	The gift that keeps on giving

Jesse McCree had always been taught to express his love and gratitude towards a person appropriately. His ma had always gotten flowers when he was younger, picked off of the roadside and occasionally out of Mean Ol' Mrs. MacCready's garden, just for being the amazing woman she was. For loving him with all her heart even when things were tough. As he grew older and more of the people he knew and admired were men, flowers just weren't acceptable anymore. He had no problem giving them, but most people had problems receiving them.  
  
The first time he had given flowers picked from the roadsides and trees to his boss in Deadlock, he had been backhanded so hard he kissed the wall behind him, the other members snickering or outright laughing at him as a fist landed in his ribs. He had just wanted to thank the man for pulling his ass out of the fire and making sure he had money to feed his ma and the family. Some men just weren't comfortable enough with their masculinity to accept wildflowers from another man.  
  
By the time he had moved beyond Deadlock and Blackwatch his flower habit had evolved. It had done so in such a way that he no longer actually gave flowers. Instead, he gave cacti. Masculine enough to not be turned down, but when in bloom were feminine enough to be deemed 'cute' or 'adorable'. Plus it sold everyone on his whole cowboy persona. After all, what was more quintessentially cowboy than cacti?  
  
The size of the cactus determined how thankful or apologetic or impressed he was. Some people, like Gabriel, had gotten huge pots of cacti delivered to his office after an op gone south, as did Angela after she fixed up his arm. He even painted little designs on them, depending on his mood or the occasion. From the simple, cow spots or little plants, to the complex, a cartoon version of him giving a metal thumbs up on the one for Angela, he liked to make sure the pots were just as meaningful as the plants themselves were.  
  
It was just habit, so there should have been no surprise when Hanzo started acquiring little cacti pots during his time at the watchpoint. Genji should have explained it to him, after all, Genji had gotten a cactus or two during their time in Blackwatch together.  
  
However, he had forgotten just how much Genji enjoyed watching his brother go crazy.  
  
“Genji, you must be behind this!” he overheard one afternoon, only to turn the corner into the kitchen to see Hanzo gesturing to Genji with the chopsticks he had held in one delicate looking hand. A cactus in a small decorative pot was sitting on the counter next to where Hanzo stood. He had given the cactus to Hanzo for out-sniping him on a mission and saving him from having to patch up a bullet hole in his serape, or worse. Genji was sitting on the counter next to the cactus, and batted the chopsticks away easily.  
  
“You really think I'm tacky enough to give you a cactus?” He replied, tone bored and fully able to see Jesse enter the room. Jesse made a face at Genji, the implication that he was tacky completely and utterly wrong. Genji had been told many times that he was stylish and fashionable, the trends just hadn't caught back up yet.  
  
“Yes. I do.” Jesse raised an eyebrow, how could someone have so little faith in their younger brother.  
  
“You really can't think of anyone else who would give you a cactus here on base?” Jesse could almost feel Genji's eyes bore into him behind the face plate.  
  
“No because nobody else would be brave or foolish enough to go into my quarters without permission.” Hanzo snapped, angrily scooping a bite of rice onto his chopsticks and placing it into his mouth. He didn't think Hanzo was that scary, it was absurd to think that everyone would be so afraid of him that they'd stay away from giving presents. Sure he tried to murder his brother, everyone's done something they weren't proud of now and again.  
  
“I can think of one other person.” Genji replied, spinning the pot slowly in place, revealing the simple white arrow along the majority of the pots circumference. Jesse had taken the time to painstakingly paint it, and although it was not as detailed as one of Hanzo's arrows, he was pleased with the result. Secretly he had named the cactus Señor Prickles, but Hanzo never had to know that.  
  
“Are you planning on telling me?” He heard Hanzo say. Jesse tossed a wink at Genji as he walked to the fridge to make himself a sandwich and grab a beer.

Jesse heard the hiss of Genji's face plate detaching and knew exactly what kind of grin was on Genji's face as he spoke, “Now where, dear brother, would the fun be in that?” Jesse couldn't help a snort as he heard Hanzo let loose an angry, near animalistic, growl.

  
“Athena!” Hanzo shouted, barely waiting for the AI's reply to continue speaking. “Who has accessed my quarters aside from me?”  
  
For a second, Jesse was certain he had been found out, he turned around, hands up to preemptively placate, mouth open, only for Athena to speak again. “I am not at liberty to say, Agent Shimada, however, I can assure you that this person entered only to deposit this cactus, and left without lingering or touching anything else.” Damn, he had never thought of Athena as a friend before, but she was a damn good one now. Mouthing a quick 'thank you' in the direction of her nearest camera, Jesse returned to making his sandwich, too relieved to even laugh at Hanzo's rage and stomping out of the room. He did notice, however, that Hanzo took his cactus.  
  
–  
  
The second cactus came after a night of them drinking together. They had spent the night downing tequila and talking about their pasts in a very vague sense. Mostly problems with parents. Hanzo lamented over how his father always prided duty above their individual interests. Jesse explained that he never knew his father but his mother died young after running into a rival gang wanting to make a point. Jesse didn't mention how he had planted a flowering cactus over her grave. That was personal.  
  
He had painted that pot with an agave plant in shades of blue and green. Much more detailed than the arrow was, but after a night like that, Hanzo deserved some personalization. He left Katniss on Hanzo's nightstand, agave painting facing out, before darting off as quietly as he could, lest Hanzo return early from the range.  
  
He didn't see Hanzo again until after dinner. He had volunteered to wash the dishes because it gave him something to do with his hands that was productive in the same way painting those little pots was. The methodical swish swish swish, rinse, new plate rhythm combined with the occasional soft water sounds eased the tension from his mind. It brought him such peace and the ability to float out of his head that when Hanzo cleared his throat behind him, Jesse nearly threw a plate up to the ceiling tiles. He fumbled for it a bit, juggling it between his hands while he tried to grasp the soap slippery plate before finally snatching it out of the air and holding it to his chest.

He whirled around, still clutching the plate, to look at Hanzo, “Jesus Christ on a cracker Hanners! You can't just scare a man half to death sneakin' up on 'im like that!”

"Apologies, perhaps I will adapt something needlessly noisy. Spurs maybe."

"Aw now that's just mean. Pokin' fun of a man's clothes like that." Jesse finished washing the plate, and set it aside before returning to look at Hanzo. He shook water off of his hands before patting them on his jeans. "Did ya come here to make fun of me or did you actually want something?"

"I wondered if you knew anything about cacti." It took every ounce of Jesse's willpower not to blurt out that it was him and he was sorry for invading Hanzo's space. Instead he just shrugged lightly with one shoulder.

"I know a coupla things. Why?"

"Because someone," Here Hanzo paused, though Jesse was uncertain whether or not it was to give him a chance to confess, or because of his irritation at not knowing, "someone has been entering my room when I am not there and leaving me pots of cacti. I do not wish to harm them."

Jesse shrugged and nodded. "I can teach you what I know, sure."

"Come then, see for yourself."

"It's my night for dishes. Give me half an hour?"

"That is agreeable."

\--

The next pot of cactus was much, much larger. So large in fact that Jesse had trouble moving it safely.

He had been in a pit of self loathing, and Hanzo had tried to pull him out before he was done having his pity party.

And he....

well....

He sunk his teeth into places he knew Hanzo was weakest,

Hanzo had called him unreasonable, which was an incredibly fair assessment of his state, and Jesse in return threw almost killing Genji back in his face. Hanzo had handled that.... incredibly well. A dirty look and an 'if that's all you think of me' later, and he had left.

Jesse had wallowed in his misery for days. First over the fact that he was an unreasonable mess, soul filthy and tarnished from all he'd done in his past. Then over what he had done to Hanzo, a man that had treated him better than most. A man... he was starting to become attached to.

Which made his lashing out make sense. Push someone away and they won't be able to leave you first. It was a solid strategy, and Jesse was a master of it.

But he didn't actually want Hanzo to leave him alone.

He went to apologize in person, trying to figure out how big a cactus he'd need, only for Hanzo to walk past him as if he wasn't even there.

Which meant a bigger one, obviously.

This of course, led to him dragging one around base, trying to not run into Hanzo. The pot wasn't decorated, but the thing was damn near as tall as he was, not counting the pot. He had to very carefully tip it at an angle to wheel it through the doorway.

You know what they say, nothing says 'I'm sorry' better than nearly killing yourself with a spiky plant that weighs almost as much as you do.

He was fairly certain the whole base heard Hanzo's frustrated yelling.

Ten minutes later there was a pounding on his door. The person knocking sounded furious. Jesse debated not answering.

"I know you are in there McCree!" Hanzo. Of course it was Hanzo.

Now Jesse definitely didn't want to answer. He stayed as still as possible, He didn't even want to breathe. Who knew what an angry assassin could do to him.

More pounding and yelling made him bite the bullet and get up from his bed as silently as he could, more or less tiptoeing into the en-suite bathroom and flushing the toilet, shutting the door to it behind him.

Pasting a frown on his face he stomped from the bathroom to the door. "Christ, can't a guy shit in peace?" he groused, figuring the excuse was much better than admitting he was a coward.

"Vulgar. Was it you?" Hanzo spat, muscles as tense as his bowstring.

"Was what me?" Jesse replied. Best to play dumb even if he wasn't.

"I know you are not this stupid McCree. The cactuses. Were they you?" Hanzo grit out, scowling at him.

"I dunno what you're talkin' about Han." Jesse hedged, unsure if he would be clocked over it or not.

Hanzo's scowl deepened, and he pulled out a holotablet from his pocket. It was small but the screen was big enough when Hanzo showed it to him for him to clearly see the struggle that was Jesse bringing in the giant cactus. He had aptly named it Leviathan. Or Levi.

"Well shit. I... Hanzo the cacti... are something I've done for a while now. Not just for you." Jesse resisted the urge to pull out a cigarillo and chew on it. "I ain't that great at puttin' my feelin's into words. And my mama always taught me 'if you need to thank someone or apologize the best way to say it is with flowers' but now I think she just liked em." Jesse took a deep breath. "And I know I'm ramblin' but I just gave you the two small ones to say thanks, and the big one because I know I stepped in it with you and I'm sorry."

Hanzo turned on his heel and left without a word. Jesse wilted, knowing in his heart that he had just messed up the best relationship he'd had in a decade. Something that had started to put down roots in an idea of being more. He flopped down on his bed and cursed his stupidity.

Begrudgingly he went to the main kitchen around dinner time, deciding to face the music rather than hide from it any longer. Everyone on base was present, save for Hanzo, and Jesse frowned, because he wanted to work on moving past this. Though a small part of him was admittedly relieved that Hanzo wasn't there, a large part of him was worried. He sat and fiddled with his fork, spinning it around his fingers and pushing food about on his plate. Jesse only looked up again when there was a soft scraping and an 'I am sorry I am late.'

Jesse watched Hanzo for a moment, stomach twisting. Almost as if knowing he was being watched, Hanzo looked up, and nodded in his general direction. "McCree."

The greeting got Jesse to relax and he gave Hanzo a little smile. "Shimada." That simple action was enough. After all, Jesse was a simple man. He had simple hobbies, simple interests, simple desires.

"Genji would you pass me the rolls?" Hanzo asked, holding his hand out for the basket.

"Sure, Hanzo," Genji said, lifting a roll and whipping it in Hanzo's directions, Hanzo's lightning reflexes stopping it just short of beaning him in the face.

"Damn it Genji, stop being a brat," Hanzo griped, standing from the table.

"Are you sure you want to be eating all of those carbs?" Genji asked, and Jesse noticed him looking between Hanzo and himself. He couldn't figure out why Genji was looking at him exactly. "They'll go right to your thighs."

"Hey, his thighs are fine. He doesn't need to worry about a few rolls," Jesse told Genji, gesturing with his fork.

Hanzo pinched the bridge of his nose and huffed a sigh. "Genji?"

"Yes darling brother, first born and pride of our Father's loins?"

"Run." Just like that both Shimadas were off in a shot, leaving muffled chuckling from Zenyatta and a few others in their wake.

Jesse returned to his room not much later, only to find an elegant pot with a couple of stems sticking out of it sitting on his nightstand. The stems were lined with snow white blooms and there was a card sitting in front of it.

Jesse opened the envelope and read: The apology is appreciated. Perhaps these orchids will convince you that we should spend more time together?"

Jesse smiled and pulled out a pen, scrawling on the envelope, 'That's great, I'd love to.' with a picture of a cactus doodled on the corner. He walked to Hanzo's door, licking the tip of the envelope flap, and sticking it to the space above Hanzo's keypad. Hanzo'd find it when he returned to his room, and they'd be able to take it from there.

Jesse stopped before flopping on his bed, smelling the orchid and enjoying the floral aroma that it filled his room with.

  
He wasn't sure where this thing with Hanzo would go, but he was damn sure excited to find out.


End file.
